Kumuyi, others advocate summit on subsidy removal

The General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi

The General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, on Sunday advised President Goodluck Jonathan to listen to the outcries against the planned removal of fuel subsidy.

He suggested that the President should convene a stakeholders’ conference on the controversial issue to reach “a brilliant decision for the country. ”

The cleric said at a press conference marking the end of the church’s annual December retreat entitled, ‘More than conquerors...in times like this,’ that government should consider the interest of the suffering Nigerians before removing the subsidy.

He said, “If I have the opportunity to advise the President on removal of subsidy of petroleum products, I will say first of all, we should listen to the populace. We should bring the stakeholders together. The people, both on the side of the people, on side of the labour, and on the side of the government; and let every each one state their reason why the subsidy should stay or be removed.

“We should look at various sections, the oil we import and the one we produce here, in which area should we have subsidy? For example, if we subsidise the oil that we are importing from outside, is that creating jobs for us here or creating jobs for the people out there in other countries?”

Also, two former members of the National Assembly, Femi Okunrounmu, Tony Adefuye, as well as the Chief Imam of University of Ilorin, Abdulganiyu Oladosu, said the removal of fuel subsidy would inflict more hardships on the masses.

They spoke at Offa in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State on Friday during the eight-day fidau in honour of the late National Chairman of the Action Alliance, Senator Suleiman Salawu.

Okunrounmu urged Nigerians to resist the removal.

He said, “Removal of fuel subsidy is the most wicked act any government can do and I think to show we are not fools, we need to respond actively and adequately. We must resist it.

“There would not be need for subsidy if our refineries were working and if we are not importing petroleum from abroad. Why are we importing petroleum? It is because, all the money needed for the refineries were pocketed by the politicians.”

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